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Monday, October 31, 2016

The Lost Great Dane is the first novella in the Lost and Found Pets series. Alexandra Prescott opened the Lost and Found Pets agency because she loves animals. Reuniting pet and owner is more than just a job.

While searching for a lost cat, Alex finds a weak and injured Great Dane. The dog has no collar, no tags, and no microchip. And the only person looking for him is a man who might have murdered his own wife.

Within 24 hours, Alex has a hunted dog, a homemade microchip, and a hitman on her tail. She realizes the only way out of this mess is to solve the mystery of the lost Great Dane.

Excerpt

As I headed down the hallway to the office, I could hear Claire talking to a client. I glanced at my watch and realized it was our two o’clock appointment. I gave the client a brief nod but didn’t interrupt. When I reached my desk, Hero came over to greet me, and Jerrie raised her head. Once she realized I wasn’t doing anything interesting, she went back to sleep. Both cats were curled up on the love seat that was directly in the path of sunlight streaming through the front windows. It is one of their favorite spots.

I played with Hero for a moment and gave him a treat as I absently listened to Claire try to talk our client out of requesting the advanced search. The woman was elderly, and it was apparent that she didn’t have much money. Even worse, her missing pet was a bird. Hero could search by air scent, but it was very difficult to track something that flew.

“Mrs. Kearns,” Claire said in a soft, caring voice, “it is very hard to find birds. We will be happy to call all the shelters and some local aviaries. Maybe someone found her and turned her in.”

“No, no she won’t go to anyone else. Please, dear, please help me. I’ve had Molly for almost thirty years. I just don’t know what I’d do without her.”

The woman’s voice broke on the end. Claire looked at me. I closed my eyes briefly and nodded. Claire quickly rounded the desk and sat in the chair next to Mrs. Kearns. As she spoke softly with the woman, I gathered Hero’s leash and my backpack. Hero followed me over to them.

“Mrs. Kearns,” I said. “I’m Alex, and this is Hero. Let’s go see if we can find Molly.”

I spent the next two hours searching Mrs. Kearns’ neighborhood for her parrot. In the end, it wasn’t Hero that found the bird but one of the neighborhood kids. They had been out playing in the yard a few houses down, and one of them spotted the brightly colored Macaw in a tree. It took Mrs. Kearns coaxing and a special treat of a juicy apple before the bird consented to fly down, but both the client and the bird were finally corralled.

Once Molly had been returned to her cage, I took her picture for my wall. As Mrs. Kearns thanked me for what seemed like the hundredth time, I gathered my things and prepared to leave.

“Wait, dear.” Mrs. Kearns hurried over to the table and began digging through her purse. For an older woman, she moved fast. She had told me she just turned eighty. I thought about introducing her to Harvey. I had a feeling the two of them might get along.

“Mrs. Kearns…”

“Just a moment, dear,” she said. She found her wallet and pulled out some bills. She tapped them together and turned back to me. Head high, she held them out to me. “I know your fee is two hundred dollars. This is $172. It’s all I have at the moment, but I will get you the rest. You have my word.”

My heart broke a little at those words. I could tell Mrs. Kearns lived on a fixed income. Her house was clean and orderly, but the furniture was old and the outside could use a paint job. There was no doubt in my mind that money was all she had. I had a feeling it was all she had left for the entire month, and it was only the eighth.

My first instinct was to refuse, but I changed my mind when I looked in her eyes. She was both terrified that I would accept the money and terrified that I wouldn’t. I took the money from her hand, plucked a twenty from the stack, and shoved the rest back to her.

“We have an installment plan, Mrs. Kearns. Ten percent down,” I said, holding up the twenty, “and equal monthly payments until the balance is cleared.”

Relief flooded her face for just a moment. I quickly looked away, called for Hero, and headed for the door. Too many bad memories came back to me when I thought about worrying if I had enough money to eat. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

“You take care of Molly, Mrs. Kearns.”

“Thank you, dear.” I heard her whisper as I closed the door behind us.

B. L. Blair writes simple and sweet romance and mystery/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started. She just needs the time to finish them.

She is the author of the Holton Romance Series, the Leah Norwood Mysteries, and the Lost and Found Pets Novellas. She enjoys reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.

Click on any of the below book covers to be taken to the page that has more information on the novel as well as the Buy Links! Please make sure to scroll down as each page will consist of many titles in that same genre!

Friday, October 28, 2016

Perfection is a Barbie doll, and, unless you're looking for a guy with a fake smile, a hard head, and no genitalia, then you're better off NOT being perfect―Single Chicas

Single Chicas is a collection of stories about modern Latinas being in, out, and around the zany hurdles of relationships. One woman receives strange calls from a lonely soul, another seeks advice on how to love herself, and another wakes up in a parallel universe to a man she's never met. These chicas will make painstaking effort to survive the complexities with humor and grace. Once again, López dazzles audiences with her brilliantly candid craft. Smart, witty, and funny, these stories will explore the true endurance of singlehood.

A: I didn’t really listen
to any music, but I did have Shania Twain’s “Man, I feel like a woman” in my
head.

Do you have critique partners or
beta readers?

A: Yes, my fellow author
buddies.

What book are you reading now?

A: I’m ashamed to say that
I’m not currently reading anything as I’ve been busy promoting my latest book.

How did you start your writing
career?

A: It kinda started when I
wasn’t looking. I wrote my first novel right after high school and was
published four years later while I still in college. From then on, I’ve been
moving around, doing gigs and marketing myself.

A: Single Chicas is the first
installment in the Single Chicas series. It’s a series about young, modern
Latinas going through the hurdles of family, love, and life. I am currently
working on the second in the series called Holiday
Chicas. In this next book, these chicas’ lives will revolve around the
calendar holidays of the year (i.e. New Year’s, Valentines, Halloween,
Christmas, etc.) For more details on release date and events, please visit www.sandra-lopez.com

Sandra C. López is one of today's influential Latina authors in Young Adult literature. Her first novel, Esperanza: A Latina Story, was published in March 2008 WHILE she was still in college. Since then she has published several other books, including the Single Chicas series. She was named as one of "2011 Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch" by Latino Stories, and her book, Beyond the Gardens, was a Silver Medal winner of the 2016 Global Ebook Awards in Multicultural Fiction and a finalist in the Int'l Latino Book Awards. Art, literature, and travel are her passions, and she aims to keep doing them as long as she can.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

In a land not far from your imagination is a clan of Hybrids. This clan will show you great wonders, love beyond time and great adventure. To read about this clan will make you believe in the unknown and open your mind to wonders of your imagination.

Two people from different backgrounds meet and became instant friends. They realized that they were like minded. Others never understood the mind trappings of these two individuals. One day, playing around, they came up with the Hybrid Clan. Henceforth, a stronger friendship and a new book. Hope you all enjoy this book as much as they enjoyed creating it.

Here's a funny fact for you reader's out there, Mikel and Sherry meet about 7 years ago and they have been friends every since. They are both very unique individuals and everyone that meets them can plainly see that they have made a lifelong friendship. Mikel, or Kel as a few people like to call him, is a young man from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He now makes his home in Sweet Water, Alabama. Sherry is a lady from a small town known as Meeker, Oklahoma. She calls Crossville, Alabama home now. They are both family oriented. They have lots in common and yet they are different. These two will dazzle and boggle the mind. Together they hope to bring your imagination alive in a whole new way.

It happens without warning: At a folk-rock show at her son’s college, Lily becomes transfixed by the guitarist’s unassuming onstage presence and beautiful playing—and with his final note, something within her breaks loose.

After the concert, Lily returns to her comfortable life—an Upper West Side apartment, a job as a videographer, and a kind if distracted husband—but she can’t stop thinking about the music, or about the duo’s guitarist, JJ. Unable to resist the pull of either one, she rashly offers to make a film about the band in order to gain a place with them on tour. But when Lily dares to step out from behind her camera, she falls deep into JJ’s world—upsetting the tenuous balance between him and his bandmate, and filling a chasm of need she didn’t know she had.

Captivating and provocative, Play for Me captures the thrill and heartbreak of deciding to leave behind what you love to follow what you desire.

Céline Keating is the author of two novels, Layla and Play for Me. Play for Me was a finalist in the International Book Awards, the Indie Excellence awards, and the USA Book awards. Her short fiction has been published in many literary journals, and she was the first-place winner in the Hackney Literary Awards for short fiction for 2014. Keating is also a music journalist and plays classical guitar.

Monday, October 24, 2016

A man, his mother, his sister, his granny, his niece, and his nephew make a trip to Memphis Tennessee for a family reunion. During the course of the trip, the family encounter a series of circumstances that mold the trip into an unforgettable experience. Through the arguing and internal bickering within the group, they come together and strengthen the blood bond they share with each other. Reflecting on each and every situation encountered, the man realizes the trip is an overall social, emotional, and educational journey.

Interview

What is the hardest
part of writing your books?

The hardest
part of writing my books, is keeping the momentum of my creativity from day to
day. Once I get an idea, I have to almost immediately lay it down, before it is
gone. Writing an outline does help, but filling in that outline with creative
literature is a very tedious and time consuming task. There are literally days,
where my mind is going strong, but my writing hand cannot go any further. I
just have to find a stopping point, and continue the creative process another
day. But once the first draft is complete, it is smooth sailing from there.

What songs are most
played on your Ipod?

I have a variety of songs played on my Ipod

DJ Khaled: Nas Album Done, Holy Key

Rick Ross: The Devil is a Lie, War Ready, Sanctified

Kevin Gates: Perfect Imperfection, Out the Mud, Really
Really

Young Thug: Harambe, Check

50 Cent: I’m the Man

Future: March Madness, Stick Talk

Do you have critique
partner or beta readers?

The closes thing I have to any of this, is my sister. She
reads most my writings before they go out, and she gives me an honest opinion
on how good they are. Other than that, I write what I feel, and I
unapologetically put it out once it is up to my standard of literature.

What book ate you reading now?

I am reading
a poetry book called, I Will Never Kill a
Black Man by Mike Woods

How did you start your writing
career?

I started my
writing career, by being completely disappointed with myself. I already
possessed the writing skills, I just felt I did not have anything to write
about. I did not know what direction my life was going in, and I found myself
being slightly depressed. I read a tweet about writing on a piece of paper to
relieve your stress, and started writing a story about an event, in my life,
that currently had just passed. Through writing about it, I felt better and
realized I had a talent. From there I kept writing, and pushing the limits of
my gift. Now I have 2 published works, and I have my sight set on one more by
the beginning of next year.

Tell us about your next release?

My next release is nowhere near ready to talk about. It is
about a boy who becomes a man through terrible life decisions. The best way I
can describe it, is it is a melting pot of random event after random event. I
will say I am excited to see you it will twist and turn, but I am concerned
about whether the structure of the writing will be good enough to publish. I am
just letting the process be organic, and I am positive it will come together in
the end.

Phillip Cornell is a college graduate. He gained his degree in Biological Sciences, and currently works at a local pharmacy. He is the only son of Harron and Connie Cornell, and the youngest of 3 children. In 2006 his father passed away due to colon cancer, and his mom became an inspiration to him and his family in the way she supported everyone. He has a passion for all types of competitive activity, with sports being the favorite. Overall he lives for different experiences to stimulate the mind, and firmly believes that life is something that has to be lived, read about, and dissected. His biggest weakness is beautiful women, and the thought of being a failure. Firmly believing everyone deserves their moment no matter how long or short it is, Phillip listens to anyone who has something to say. The more he writes. The more he realizes what he creates, is something that needs to be shared with someone other than himself.

Looking for an editor or content creator near you? With Upland United it is really easy to find book professionals who are ready to work on your publishing needs. You have an option to browse among a large number of profiles of publishing professionals and know their past user reviews. With this, it becomes really easy to find the best suited talent for your job. Whether you are looking specifically for an Editor, Illustrator or tradeshow events, you can find it all within the categories on our app. Bookmark professionals whom you like so you can easily access them later.

As a professional, you can subscribe and create a profile on “Upland United” to showcase your services, connect with new and existing clients, and build your business for the better. Additionally, professionals get user reviews. You get a chance to improve your skills based on user feedback and reviews.

To help writers, we also have services like marketing, tradeshows, etc. Writers can browse through these services to aid their writing career and book these services in app. They can meet new authors in their area and get inspired. With Upland United, we are building a social networking community among writers. The app also includes a check-in feature where-in you can tell your friends where you are located.

I am a serial entrepreneur, author, creative visionary for young entrepreneurs and owner of Upland Avenue Productions – a diverse portfolio of publishing, media, and technology properties. I have made strides in the realms of economic and social responsibility by launching a literary networking platform to bridge the relationship between the film, literary and journalism industries. This platform fostered new relationships with leaders in the state of Louisiana, as well as, placed indie writers in front of industry insiders and fellow peers.

I partnered with Barnes & Noble for children reading initiatives, assisted youth in developing and launching their businesses through the Young Entrepreneurship Initiative and launched the first on rail reading book club in New Mexico through a collaborative partnership with NM Rail Runner Express.

My most recent endeavor involved bridging the gap between authors and the professionals they need to publish literary works. This resulted in the creation of Upland United – an app that allows writers to collaborate with publishing professionals on their terms.

I speak at conferences on subjects such as literary distribution, book marketing and analytics. If you would like to reach me about speaking engagements you can email me at info@uplandavenueproductions.com

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Crown Prince Killian Rhys's life has been defined by duty for as long as he can recall.

Duty ties him to a wife he does not love.

Duty separates him from the woman he loves, a woman once believed to be beneath him.

Duty holds him to the people he will one day rule.

Can Killian break free of duty's chains before his wife binds him with more than vows?

Will he find a path to his true love, or will duty wrap him in inescapable shackles?

A lifelong California girl, Michelle Rabe tried the Hollywood thing but decided she preferred an author's den to the actor's trailer. She now lives in the Phoenix Arizona area with her unhelpful author cat. Michelle is the author of the Morgan Blackstone Vampires series and The Dragon Fey Saga.